I TALK SH*T

"I have to say Wayne has surprised me with the way he has recovered from his injury. Even when I was talking to the Press and saying he would be all right and that he'd be fit I had quite a bit of doubt in my mind that he'd be ready."

So, you'd say anything to get your name in the paper? Thanks for confirming what we always knew, Rio.

Also on Rooney:

"He's a fit lad though. People talk about the way he looks sometimes but Wazza probably does the most running in the United team and it's the same with England.

"He's naturally fit and he's naturally a good footballer. It was not like he was going to lose his touch overnight.

"But I was surprised how strongly he finished against Ecuador. There was that time late in the game when he cut inside and set up a chance for Frank Lampard.

"I honestly didn't think he'd have that much in the tank but he got stronger and stronger.

"We don't want to go overboard and say he is back to his maximum, because it's going to take many more minutes of football before that's the case. But he's a fit lad, really fit, naturally fit.

"People talk about the way he looks but the tests show that he does more running than anyone else in the Manchester United team and it's probably the same for England as well.

"That's where he wants to be. People say Wayne can't play in this different role. Listen, Wayne can do it. He's that good he can play anywhere well. He's got enough strength and desire and nous. He can run in behind as well as any other centre-forward and he can drop off as well as anyone.

"People say this and that but the truth is he feels that, playing at the top, he's got more chance of going through on goal. He's a striker and, like every striker, he loves scoring goals. It's what he's all about."